Taste test: I tuck into some of the quirky dishes from Murly Tuck in Tarves

At 3pm on a weekday, I’ve never seen a cafe so busy. Murly Tuck in Tarves is packed with hungry customers when I arrive.

Families, couples, children and older people all seem to converge on this cosy spot.

The cafe is kitted out for Christmas, with twinkling lights, wee Santas, wreaths and more.

Husband and wife Lukas and Edyta Kranz took over the well-loved Tarves cafe in April 2023.

They welcome plenty of regular customers to the quaint spot, and have even attracted the attention of BrewDog founder James Watt’s fiancé, reality television star Georgia Toffolo.

I visited to try out a few of the dishes on the menu at Murly Tuck.

The menu is anything but simplistic. While there are usual cafe options like a bacon roll or soup of the day, there are some more extravagant dishes to choose from too.

They also serve a range of home bakes and specials.

What did I think of the chef’s signature dish at Murly Tuck cafe?

The first dish I tried on my Murly Tuck review was the chef signature dish: the pastrami croque madame (£13.50).

This combines smoked pastrami, homemade sauerkraut, Swiss cheese, a cheesy bechamel sauce, topped with a fried egg and pickles, plus a side salad.

This was a quirky take on the French classic dish, replacing ham for pastrami, plus adding the pickles and sauerkraut.

These are all quite strong flavours and I was unsure if they would mesh well together.

But this surpassed all my expectations, and was utterly delicious.

The pastrami was the perfect level of salty and the flavour balanced well with the rich, creamy sauce.

The side salad had a delicious sweet dressing which combined mustard and parmesan, which made every bite flavourful and satisfying.

As you can see, the egg was cooked perfectly, with a lovely runny yolk.

This was very messy to eat but so worth it.

Joanna: 5/5

Turkey toastie and a HUGE pig in blanket

Next up I tested out a festive special at Murly Tuck, the turkey, brie ciabatta toastie (£9.50.)

This huge sandwich is a steal for the price – especially considering the huge pig in blanket sausage on top, just to add to the festive touch.

Inside the ciabatta, there are layers upon layers of thin, moist turkey, and plenty of creamy, melted brie oozing out the sides.

I might get judged for this, but I hate cranberry sauce. I don’t think it belongs on the Christmas dinner plate – or any plate for that matter.

But in this toastie, to my relief, was not cranberry sauce, but a homemade apple and beetroot chutney.

It was amazing: sweet without being tart, sour or sickly. I’d love to buy jars of the stuff.

Joanna: 4.5/5

Next up is the brunch favourite smashed avocado toast (£12.50).

This is a wee bit pricey, but admittedly there are so many elements in this dish.

The toasted sourdough is topped with a generous helping of smashed avo, homemade pickled onions and of course two poached eggs.

It was the first time I’ve had pomegranate seeds on avocado toast, and it’s safe to say I’m a big fan. This creative addition added a burst of sweetness and I might be copying it for my own brunch at home.

Joanna: 3.5/5

How were the homemade bakes at Murly Tuck cafe, Tarves?

Lukas and Edyta make all the bakes at Murly Tuck, and I was lucky enough to try two of these on my visit.

First up is the impressive pistachio roulade (£3.75).

This moist bake was packed with sweet, earthy notes of the pistachio, which give it that lovely olive green colour.

The sponge wasn’t at all dry as some sweet roulades can be and the cream filling was light and so delicious.

It just had to be full marks again for this amazing homemade bake.

Joanna: 5/5

Lastly, I tried the Biscoff brownie (£3.75).

This was tasty, with a dose of that lovely caramelised flavour I associate with Biscoff.

The edges of the brownie had a nice bite to them, and the inside was perfectly gooey.

The chocolate oozed out the brownie when I cut into it, which assured me of the freshness of this bake.

Joanna: 4/5

At Murly Tuck, you will find delicious food, a warm atmosphere and very lovely staff.

It is definitely worth making the journey from Aberdeen to Tarves, and it’s a place Aberdeenshire should be proud of.

You can read our other Taste Tests here.